A blood sample taken from the winning steer at the Calgary Stampede has been destroyed before it could be retested, said one of its owners.
Royden Anderson said a letter from the Calgary Stampede lawyers said the sample was disposed of.
“We were going to send the sample to be retested,” said Anderson.
The Calgary Stampede disqualified the winning steer, owned by Anderson and Riley Chalack, after it tested positive for the painkiller Banamine.
The pair plan to appeal the Calgary Stampede’s decision to have their animal disqualified. They believe they followed the correct channels and asked the Calgary Stampede veterinarians before administering Banamine. They also don’t believe the Calgary Stampede followed its own rules before making the decision to disqualify their animal the Steer Classic event in July.
“The appeal process, we’re a bit jaded, when they destroy the evidence we need for an appeal,” said Anderson.
Bonni Clark, media adviser with the Calgary Stampede, said the organiation couldn’t comment.
“Everyone that has that information would be on vacation. I don’t have the information,” said Clark.
